Mirror Worlds
by ryuzakineedsahug
Summary: There is a mirror. One that links two realities- ours, and another where Voldemort won. Harry and Ron are dead and Hogwarts was destroyed leaving Hermione with Draco Malfoy. This is about what happens when the realities start leaking into each other. R&R!
1. I'm Still Here

Mirror Worlds

Disclaimer: Is my name J.K Rowling? No. So I don't own any of the characters then do I?

Dammit.

Chapter 1- I'm Still Here

MIRROR WORLD

On the windswept coast of Cornwall, the crumbling remains of Tintagel perched precariously on what remained of the old headland. When the tide out, the stormy grey seas swirled in and around the caves at the base of Tintagel Head's cliffs. These dark honeycombs were swallowed twice a day, covering the long forgotten entrances to the secret passages beneath the castle. It was in this maze of tunnels and chambers known to its inhabitants as the Warren that the last survivors of Hogwarts destruction hid and waited pensively for Voldemort to discover their location and finish his work.

It had been just over 4 years since the dark lord had returned after taking the Philosophers Stone from Nicolas Flamel. After that, he spent his time gathering giants, Dementors and Dark Wizards to him, including the prisoners of Azkaban.  Voldemort waited until he had built up an army of incredible strength before he attacked Hogwarts- the centre of the wizarding world in England.  Even under the protection of Albus Dumbledore, the school eventually fell and was overrun with Dementors in moments. Most of the students and teachers died in those first few terrible hours in the last month of summer one year before.

Hermione Granger had seen it all. She had been helpless to prevent a Dementor from administering its fatal kiss to her best friend Ron Weasley. It had sucked his soul out through his mouth and now, if he wasn't dead his existence was worse. But Harry- her burning guilt had consumed her after his death. Hermione had been forced to watch as he was tortured to death by Voldemort and his screams still haunted her even in the catatonic state she had slipped into. There, the agony was a fresh as it had been a year ago.

It was deep beneath Tintagel Castle in a quiet chamber bathed in lamplight and shadows that Hermione lay swaddled in blankets.

The clatter of footsteps on stone echoed down the corridor and into the chamber. The lamps flickered. In the doorway, the silhouette of a 16-year-old appeared and as he stepped into the light, the orange flames made his platinum blonde hair seem to glow. Of course it was a little dirty- everything was down here- but to Draco Malfoy, cleanliness was definitely next to godliness so a long dip in the freezing fresh water lake deep below Hermione's chamber was well worth it. Draco sighed when his grey eyes fell upon the bundle in the corner. Hermione was in that place- wherever it was- that she retreated to when the grief was too much to bear. She had been like this since their escape from Hogwarts, waking only once every few days. Draco came and sat with her when he wasn't needed to help make repairs to the castle and he spent his time just sitting with his friend and talking, hoping that in some small way she took comfort from it.

Today was no different. Outside above ground, it was summer, probably August, but the wind was icy and storms constantly attacked the cliffs. Since Voldemort's return, it had been like an endless winter and few could remember the feeling of the warm sun or the sound of laughter. No one was happy anymore as they cowered in fear beneath an old ruin.

Draco held Hermione's cold clammy hand and brushed a strand of chestnut hair from her face, as she stirred. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to still be asleep, but just as he got up to leave, her eyes fluttered and then finally opened. She groaned, having awakened once more into the living nightmare that was life under the threat of Voldemort.

"I'm still here," she whispered almost inaudibly.

* * *

OUR REALITY

It was only 2 weeks to go until the beginning of term where Harry would be starting his sixth year at Hogwarts and he just couldn't sleep. A warm summer breeze drifted through the bedroom window and a bright full moon shone down onto his feet as he paced back and forth waiting for Hedwig to return.

It had been another miserable summer, suffering through the restrictions the Dursley's had placed on him and being forced to eat according to Dudley's on-going diet. The only thing that had kept him sane was the numerous letters and various items of food sent to him in order to prevent starvation from Ron and Hermione. Harry loved to taunt Dudley about how filling the food was at mealtimes whilst his fat lump of a cousin could only moan and sulk about his unfair treatment. Although he was beginning to shed a few pounds, he still had the relative mass of an elephant seal and struggled to fit through doorways. Harry chuckled at the thought.

But now Harry was far away from Privet Drive, staying with Ron at the Burrow and even if he wasn't happy, the pain of losing Sirius wasn't quite so raw surrounded by friends.

Ron turned over and began to snore as Hedwig fluttered onto the window sill with three letters tied to her leg. As Harry untied the letter addressed to him, Hedwig nibbled his finger affectionately. "Thanks, Hedwig," he whispered, opening the envelope, "You were gone so long I was worried." Hedwig made a quiet screeching noise as if for reassurance as he pulled at the letter marked with the Hogwarts coat of arms and began to read:

_Dear Mr Potter,_

_Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave King's Cross from platform nine-and-three-quarters at __eleven o'clock__._

_A list of the school books required this year is also enclosed._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Professor M. McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

After finishing the letter, Harry carefully placed the letter addressed to Ron on his bedside table and quietly padded out of the room. As he climbed the stairs up to Ginny's room where Hermione was staying, he thought he could hear very faint sobbing. Entering the room, Harry looked over to the bed by the window and at the sleeping figure bathed in harsh moonlight. The sole occupant of the room was Hermione, as Ginny had gone to stay with friends and Harry was right. She was crying.

"Hermione?"

* * *

_He took her hand and helped her to her feet. Everything was dark- not a single candle or lamp could be found and they could still hear the distant shrieks and yells._

_Hogwarts had been invaded. This was it._

_"Come on, Hermione," he said gently, "we'll make it, just follow me."_

_She grasped his hand tightly and they set off down the corridor running. They planned to get to the roof and escape by broomstick along with all the other survivors, but the dozens of twisting, turning halls seemed to be leading them no where. On and on they ran, ever upwards trying to reach the top of the astronomy tower for what seemed like hours._

_She felt hot tears run down her cheeks. They were alone. They were alone because Ron was gone and he was never coming back. Another wave of anguish overcame her and she fell to her knees. "Harry," stubbornly she pushed herself up. Harry stopped running and turned to face Hermione. They gazed into each other's eyes for an eternity. She was the first to break eye contact, "There must be other survivors, Harry. We haven't seen any more students for an hour," she said, "I have to find them, so go on without me."_

_"I'm not leaving while you're still here, so I tell you what," Harry suggested, "I'll go check the other way and we'll meet back at the astronomy tower."_

_Hermione took a few steps toward Harry. The pale moonlight shone brokenly through the window and across his tired and pained features. The years had not been kind to him and he was almost unrecognisable as the boy who had stood wide eyed with awe when he first entered the great hall of Hogwarts. It seemed so long ago now, and as she looked up into his face, Hermione noticed that it was his eyes that had changed the most. Once sparkling green, they had darkened as if all he had seen had tainted them._

_He focused on her and his eyes seemed to change, they were flooded with emotion._

_"You know that I…" she began._

_"I know," said Harry softly, "and I understand. Go."_

_Hermione stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him gently on the lips. Before he could react, she spun around and ran, hearing him do the same. "I love you," she whispered to herself._

* * *

The dream was fading, the images were distorting and Hermione was losing her grip on this strange, haunting hallucination. In the distance, she could hear a familiar questioning voice.

And then she awoke.

Hermione returned to reality with a jolt and already her memories of the dream were diminishing. She looked up at the ceiling and a great feeling of relief washed over her, but she couldn't remember why, "I'm still here," she breathed.

"Hermione?"

Her gaze darted to her left and settled on Harry's moonlit face. "Harry?! What on earth are you doing here?"

Harry stood up from where he had been sitting beside her on the bed and looked embarrassed, "I brought your letter," he held up the envelope as if to prove it.

"Letter?"

"From Hogwarts," he replied and placed it on the table beside her bed. "Are you alright, Hermione?" he asked haltingly, remembering her crying in her sleep.

"What? Oh yes- nothing's wrong." She smiled unconvincingly. Harry wasn't satisfied with her answer, but he nodded anyway and turned to leave.

"Harry?" Hermione asked. Her voice had changed. She sounded…frightened.

"Yes?" he said turning back.

"Stay with me. I don't want to be alone."


	2. Discoveries

 Mirror Worlds

Disclaimer: Is my name J.K Rowling? No. So I don't own any of the characters then do I?

Dammit.

Thank you every one who reviewed chapter 1, you were all really sweet and supportive! And apologies to all of you who waited, I have the memory of a sieve and kept forgetting to update *blushes* (moron).

Chapter 2- Discoveries

MIRRIOR WORLD

"And then we had to repair the ceiling in one of the rooms closer to the surface," Draco reported. Hermione was sat in the shallow water at the edge of the underground lake, but it still came up to her shoulders. She glanced over to Draco's turned back and rolled her eyes. He was always like this when she first woke up and he obviously thought that boring someone to death was a good way to keep their minds off certain things. "…it was a bloody good job none of the kids were in there at the time, but now they're sharing with those Ravenclaws a few floors up…" 

Hermione washed her hair while he continued his stories of the past week and her mind began to wonder. "Hermione?" Draco had turned around and was looking right at her, "I said, shall we go exploring today? Colin and I found a new passageway after clearing some rubble away two days ago and I haven't had a chance to look." 

Her gaze drifted over to him and she nodded, "That sounds nice," she murmured.

"Are you sure you know where you're going, Draco?" Hermione asked as they descended into the depths of Tintagel Head. The passage was cold and damp and distantly, the crashing waves could be heard in the caves below them. Draco held up his lantern, making visible another passage set 4 feet above the ground.

"Of course," he turned to Hermione and grinned, "I always do. Come on, Hermione, just follow me."

A memory stirred and she flinched. Someone had said that to her a year ago and now they were gone… She mentally shook herself. _Don't be an idiot, we're safe now. _"Lead the way then," she said.

Once they had climbed into the passage the first thing they noticed was that it was even darker if anything. For over ten minutes they followed the twisting tunnel, but it seemed to lead them nowhere. The darkness was oppressive; it felt as if it was closing in on the pair. Hermione thought she could hear voices hissing, whispering, calling to her. Down and down they went until the roaring of the ocean drowned out the sound of the incessant murmurs of her imagination- she was sure that was all they were. Draco supposed that they were now in a tunnel directly beside the sea-level cliffs at the bottom of the headland and although they had found nothing, he insisted they go on. Steadily, the floor changed from rock to sand and the air seemed to be a little drier. 

"I don't think we're under the Warren anymore," he said apprehensively and stopped walking suddenly. Before Hermione realised he was still, she walked into his back and almost fell over. 

"What is it? Why did you stop?" she snapped.

Draco took a few steps forward and lifted the lantern. It seemed he has discovered some kind of cave under the mainland. The light from the lamp reflected off of sparkling minerals in the rock of the walls and multiplied a thousand times until the whole cavern was lit. It was enormous. Stalactites hung from the ceiling and stalagmites littered the floor in their hundreds and at the back, a small waterfall appeared to seep out of the rock and into a pool. "This is amazing," Hermione breathed.

After half an hour of exploring, Draco and Hermione decided to stop for the day. Looking at his watch, Draco realised it was getting very late and they had eaten hardly anything all day, so they turned back and headed for the entrance. The air was cool and moist by the waterfall, but as Hermione leant over to take a sip, an awful screeching sound filled the air.

 "What was that?!" she hissed, jumping to her feet abruptly and hitting something solid. Draco wind milled his arms at the edge of the pool, but lost his balance and fell in with a yell and a splash. Hermione looked down at Draco and tried to suppress a smile. He was very wet and not at all happy. 

"Gosh, I don't know," he drawled, "but for some reason, I can't seem to care." Then, all of a sudden, as if a light had gone out, his sarcastic expression disappeared and was replaced by one of unease as the screeching cry rang out again.

It was difficult to pin point the source of the noise with the incredible echoes reverberating throughout the cave but it seemed as if it came from somewhere beyond the waterfall. Draco and Hermione stared at the water intently. 

"What do you think?" Draco asked. 

Hermione frowned as she strained to listen for the sound again, "It has to be behind the waterfall," but she didn't sound happy about it. The water was ice cold as Draco put his arm through the curtain checking for any hidden passages. When he found nothing but air, he reached behind the waterfall with his other hand holding the lantern to light the space so he could have a look around. But to do that, the already very wet and very cold teenager would have to put his head through the water.

"Well I might as well," he said when Hermione pointed this out, "Look at me-" Draco pulled at the black polo-neck sweater that had been clinging to his pale skin, "I'm completely soaked."

"Well carry on then," Hermione smiled. Draco wasn't at all happy about her obvious amusement and was still scowling as he turned away and submerged his head.

Adjusting his eyes to the different light beyond the glow of the lantern there was nothing; it seemed that the tunnel went on for some distance. Gasping as the frigid water ran down his back, he crawled into the passage up to his elbows in run-off from the waterfall. Draco only managed to crawl about 5 feet before his hand slipped and he fell forward.

Hermione sprang to her feet from where she had been sitting when she heard Draco cry out. Rushing over to the waterfall, she took a deep breath and crawled into the tunnel after him wincing at the touch of the liquid ice, "Draco?! Where are you?" she called at the top of her voice, "Are you ok?" As she inched her way through the pitch black passage, she strained her ears waiting for a reply. "Draco!"

"Hermione, stop!" was all she heard before putting her next hand down on empty air and toppling forward into nothingness.

* * *

Ron was prodding his food disinterestedly when Harry came down for breakfast the next morning. The black haired teenager trudged into the room cleaning his glasses with the edge of his t-shirt before replacing them and sitting at the kitchen table.

"Morning, Harry," Ron mumbled, yawning. Then he looked up. "Blimey, you look bloody awful. Did you not get much sleep?"

"Oh thanks, Ron," Harry attempted to scowl, but failed miserably, "But no, I didn't get much sleep. I couldn't."

"Well we're back at school soon. Are you excited?"

"I'm not sure. Voldemort will be hard pushed to make this year worse than the last two." Harry said miserably. "That reminds me; did you read your Hogwarts letter?"

"Yeah, but it was the same old thing. Has Hermione got hers?" 

"Yes," Harry replied quickly, but didn't elaborate further. Ron glanced at his watch.

"Where is she anyway?"

"She wanted to stay in bed."

"Oh, have you seen her then?" Ron asked.

"What?!" Harry looked absolutely scandalised, "No, um," his eyes darted around the room, as if he was looking for an escape route. "Not really," he said after getting up, trying to hide his burning cheeks. Ron carried on prodding at the cold food on his plate while Harry got some breakfast of his own.

Hermione got dressed slowly, unable to understand her mixed emotions or silence her chaotic thoughts.

_Stay with me.___

First, there was the dream- no, the nightmare. It was so vivid. Somewhere inside her, she knew that it was real, that it had happened.

But it was impossible!

-But it was_ real._

She couldn't make sense of it and the memories wouldn't leave her. That was it- they seemed like memories, but they were of something that had never happened. 

Not only was Hermione confused by her dream, but when she woke up things got even stranger. Harry. He had been there when she woke and was afraid, and he held her until they fell asleep. Her stomach gave a lurch at the memory of waking up still in his arms.

_I don't want to be alone._

But what did it mean? Had things changed? It felt like they had and she knew she would never see Harry the same way again.

_I love you._

No! She wouldn't remember! It was just a dream. It wasn't real, and those feelings weren't hers…But it had felt so right. Waking up beside him- she felt like she belonged there. Hermione stopped that line of thought. That was just feelings from the dream. She didn't see Harry that way. Not even a little. She began to hum, to occupy her mind in the hopes that she would forget last night as she tied her hair back and left the room.

Mrs Weasley was berating Ron over his uneaten breakfast when Hermione walked in. As her eyes swept across the room, they met with Harry's for just a moment before she awkwardly tore them away.

"Good morning, Hermione dear," Mrs Weasley said, looking up.

"Morning, Mrs Weasley," Hermione smiled and sat beside Ron at the table. Mrs Weasley poured her a cup of tea and said; "Are you nearly ready to go shopping? We're getting everyone's school things today, and you can stay until it's time to go back to school, so I hope you've packed." Hermione's heart leapt. Diagon Alley! She couldn't wait to go shopping with the birthday money her parents had given her this year. She grinned at Ron and then at Harry, who grinned back, all awkwardness forgotten.

"We'll be going by floo." Mrs Weasley added. Harry didn't look happy anymore. He looked sick.


	3. Haunting Memories

Mirror Worlds

Disclaimer: Is my name J.K Rowling? No. So I don't own any of the characters then do I?

Dammit.

Ok, wenches! Where were the reviews?! Thank you anyway to KeeperoftheSnoopyDance, Evil­_Fishie, Mockingbirdflyaway, Tropic, Sherie Kerk, Atticus Slain, Elfklutz1200, Kris-tina4, Scabberssucks, Emily, and Tracey Claybon. I love you guys!

Chapter 3- Haunting Memories

MIRROR WORLD

_On and on she ran until she thought that her lungs might burst.  The halls were pitch black away from the windows where the lamps had been snuffed out, but in the passages normally lit by the pale moonlight or golden sunlight, a sickly burnt orange glow filled the corridors through the windows from fires being ignited far below._

_They had begun to burn the castle._

_There was very little time to search for anyone left behind with those fires burning. Voldemort planned to destroy Hogwarts and kill everyone still inside. Hopefully that would be very few if most managed to escape by broomstick from the astronomy tower. Hermione's pace increased as her anxiety grew and she just prayed that Harry was alright and helping the other student's escapes. It had been about four hours since the attack had begun but it seemed like four years. So many of her friends were gone and all she could do was try and help any survivors who had not yet escaped._

_She was running too fast to stop in time when she turned a corner, coming face to face with a Death Eater. Hermione collided with the cloaked figure sending her flying backwards and completely dazed on the floor. The Death Eater however, was completely unscathed and greeted her with a smirk. _

_"Good evening, Miss Granger." _

_"You!" she hissed, but before she could move to draw her wand, she was swallowed into darkness._

_* * *_

Hermione felt herself being shaken roughly and moaned a complaint. "Hey come on wake up, you lazy git," an irritating voice said. Annoyed at the rude awakening, she swung out her arm and shoved something over beside where she lay.

"Geez, I guess that's all I get for saving you then," Draco muttered to himself.

As Hermione began to sit up, she asked "What happened?" But before she could continue, she began to cough up large amounts of water. Ignoring her coughing fit, Draco began to explain. "You decided to take a swim it seems," he looked up her expression lit by the sparkling minerals in the cavern walls and decided it would probably be a good idea to be serious judging by the piercing glare she was directing at him.

"At the end of that little tunnel, it opens out into a waterfall and you went face first into the pool below like I did. But I think the force of hitting the water knocked you out and I had to fish you from the water…You look like a drowned rat by the way," he added wryly.

"You don't look so good yourself, Malfoy," Hermione said, wiping the smile from his face.

Looking around later, they saw that the cavern was a lot smaller than the last but there were no stalactites or stalagmites covering the roof or floor.

An hour after they first began their search of the cave, they were cold, damp, tired and very hungry. "We might as well give up," Hermione sighed. "I can't see anyway out of here.

Draco looked down at her dark eyes. They were ringed in shadow- a sign of the past year's pain and exhaustion. Her body was thin and frail as she ate little nowadays and her chestnut hair, falling in waves to the small of her back was dull and lifeless. The Hermione he had known at Hogwarts died the night she lost Ron and Harry, but she was not gone forever because whenever she smiled the Hermione he remembered was there and things didn't seem so bad.

"…and its bloody freezing in this stupid cave," she grumbled. Draco grinned and wrapped his arms around her. "Is that better?" he asked. 

It was. Within moments the heat from his body began to warm her cold skin. But she wanted to be warmer, so she pressed her body against his and buried her face in his neck. Draco almost stopped breathing and his face was scarlet from sheer embarrassment. "Um, Hermione?" he asked awkwardly. Hermione stood back slightly looking more than a little anxious. Instead of avoiding the issue, Draco made a choice. He leaned forward and kissed her. For a moment, Hermione froze in disbelief before realizing what Draco already had. Over the past year, their feeling for each other had grown and now it was impossible to hide or ignore. She returned the kiss with equal passion and as the stars wheeled across the sky outside, the two teenagers made their own warmth.

* * *

OUR REALITY

The weather was beautifully warm and sunny in Diagon Alley as Hermione walked slowly through the crowded street. She savoured every sight the Alley had to offer and shed the midnight blue cloak she has wrapped around herself earlier in a fit of shivers. Sometimes it felt as if she had forgotten what it was like to feel warm or hear laughter and on those nights, the nightmares came. But today, those memories were set aside as she gazed into shop windows looking for something that would tempt her into spending the remaining coins in her pocket before meeting Ron and Harry for lunch.

A few minutes later, a tingling sensation began to grow in the back of her skull drawing Hermione's attention from a haughty looking raven perched on a stand in front of the Magical Menagerie and over her shoulder to something across the street. It was a book, but not behind glass in a shop display- instead that tome was in the hands of someone sat at a table outside Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream Parlour.

Hermione started to make her way through the milling crowd, all the while, her eyes fixed in the direction of the book. When she reached the table, she found herself stunned at the title of the strange book, _The Magic and Muggle Science Behind Alternate Realities._

She was just about to speak when the reader placed the book down carefully on the table and glared at her. "What do want, Mudblood?"

Hermione had to stop herself from recoiling in disgust, "Malfoy?!"

"Yes, what?" Malfoy spat, still staring at her with obvious contempt.

Bringing her attention back to the book rather than Malfoy, she spoke, "That book, where did you get it?"

"Why should I tell you?" he smirked. "Besides, it was the only one they had."

"Only one?" Hermione was stricken. "Hang on, why would you be reading about alternate realities?" she asked.

"Why would _you_?"

"I don't know…" Hermione replied suddenly confused, "I just felt like I needed to."

"It was the same with me," Malfoy mumbled. 

Hermione's eyes widened at Malfoy's last comment. This whole conversation was becoming very weird and she found herself completely off balance. Malfoy stood up with the book in his hands, scowling at her. "Just forget it, Granger," he snapped.

Hermione stared at him in disbelief as he tuned and strode away down the street. _Bloody hell! _A voice in her head yelled, _I need to get hold of that book._

_Whatever it takes._

* * * 

Ron and Harry stared at Hermione in shock as she stormed past them in the Leaky Cauldron and upstairs to the rooms they were staying in, ten minutes later. She didn't look at all happy. "What's wrong with her?" Ron asked. 

Harry just shrugged. "Come on, let's go see," he suggested. Ron reluctantly agreed as if worried that he might physically get his head bitten off. "Calm down, Ron," Harry said, trying not to laugh, "If she gets scary, you can hide behind me.

Ron became even more anxious as he and Harry stood at the open door to her room. Hermione was busy pacing backwards and forwards, muttering to herself. It wasn't the usual 'about to commit violence' king of anger they were used to. It was closer to 'gone off the deep end'.

"Didn't you want any lunch then, Hermione?" Harry asked cautiously. 

Hermione suddenly stopped in her tracks, turning to face the two boys, eyes wide in surprise. It was as if she had been completely oblivious to them before. "Oh, hi guys," she smiled, seeming to snap out of some strange trance. "What did you say, Harry?"

"I asked if you wanted any lunch."

"That sounds like a great idea," she replied vaguely, "It feels as if I haven't eaten in days."  And she shivered.

The three of them spent the afternoon talking and laughing at lunch and then shopping for last minute supplies before catching the train back to Hogwarts in the morning. With Ron and Harry, Hermione could forget the terrible nightmares that wouldn't stop and just relax. But she couldn't help but feel that this year was going to change things forever.

The morning of September the first began cool and cloudless, and Hermione savoured the clarity of the air this early in London. As she dressed, preparing to leave for King's Cross with Ron and Harry, she was filled with a sense of wonder at the feelings of warmth and contentment. _It's probably because of that dream last night, she thought, but all Hermione could really remember was an enormous sparkling place and the sound of water. _

_Hermione? _

That voice- she remembered someone else was there in the dream. Someone with eyes like molten silver.

_Hermione?_

That voice was so familiar, yet very different. She remembered hands running through her hair, holding her, caressing her.

_Hermione…_

"Hermione?" a voice very real called from the other side of her door.

"Just a minute," Hermione replied as she slid her dove grey sweater over her head and had one last look around the room, making sure everything was packed. _Daydreaming again, _she chided herself, _you've got to grow up. _Opening the door, she was almost surprised to see Harry standing there and not someone else…

"Are you ok?" he asked her, "You look really tired."

Hermione smiled slightly, "I just haven't been getting much sleep." Harry was just about to say something else when she brushed past him. "Strange dreams," she muttered. And he could only stare in disbelief as she walked away, now oblivious to his presence and singing quietly.

When Ron came out of his room a moment later, he stood beside Harry, trying to find out what had his attention so completely. "What's wrong?"

Harry frowned, "I was talking to her, and she forgot I was here," he said. "It's like she forgot _she _was here."

Ron looked as confused as Harry, "Who was singing?"

"She was."

He burst into laughter. "And you can still hear?!"

* * *

Hours later on the Hogwarts Express, Hermione sat gazing out of the window at the rolling hills that sped by. Ron and Harry were discussing Quiditch in another compartment and Ginny was catching up with friends, leaving Hermione alone. As time went by, friends came and went and the rolling hills began to rise higher and more steeply. Hermione sat back and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the noise of hundreds of students on the train.

She didn't notice herself slip into oblivion when it came.

_Harry! Harry, oh god, come back!_

"Hey wake up!"

When Hermione came back to her senses, she opened her eyes and saw Ginny crouched in front of her. Her eyes were wide with fear but she stayed quiet. Hermione looked to her right, and by the door about twenty students were staring at her equally nervous.

"What just happened?!" Ginny asked at last, "The whole train must have heard you screaming."  Hermione couldn't reply. She couldn't speak, couldn't think. Memories of the dream still filled her mind.

"Excuse me, _excuse me,_" came a voice from the corridor, "Come on, Colin, get out of the way." The crowd parted and Ron entered the compartment followed by Harry. 

"What's wrong?" he asked, "We heard screaming." Hermione was about to answer when another voice cut in.   

"It sounded like someone was being tortured." Draco Malfoy drawled. Hermione looked up directly into his eyes and his smirk vanished. It was then that she saw how tired he looked- his eyes were as dark as storm clouds with shadows beneath. Their gazes were locked and nobody spoke. 

Finally after what seemed like hours, Malfoy tore his eyes away to glare at Ron and Harry, then turned and shoved his way back through the crowd. Everyone was stunned into silence. Harry walked over to the compartment's door without a word and shut it before their conversation became a spectator sport. He sat down beside Ron opposite Hermione. "What happened in your nightmare?" he asked. Of course he knew she had had a nightmare. He had seen her eyes and her tears after the one she had at the Burrow.

So she told him how he died.


	4. Chapter 4

Mirror Worlds

Disclaimer: Is my name J.K Rowling? No. So I don't own any of the characters then do I?

Dammit.

Chapter 4

MIRROR WORLD

This chapter is ALL one flashback. Here- have a tissue.

_Hermione's return to consciousness was accompanied by screaming agony. Her body felt as if it was on fire and it was almost impossible to see or hear. She was shaking all over and she tried to cry out but it seemed as though her throat was filled with acid. A high pitched laugh filled the air as she whimpered with pain._

_"Oh do shut up, Miss Granger," someone said from the darkness, "You're not dying."_

_Hermione raised her head to look around. She was in a room bathed in shadow, but, judging by the orange glow from the doorway, she was still in Hogwarts. A dark figure stepped forward and into the faint light and it was then that she realised who it was._

_"Voldemort," she spat a glob of blood at his feet and looked into his scarlet eyes with pure hate._

_"What bad manners you have!" he smiled, trying to cover his annoyance._

_"All the better to piss you off with, grandma," Hermione replied smirking._

_"Such a sharp tongue, maybe I should cut it out," Voldemort said smoothly, "But I don't think you'll be so defiant when you see who your play-mate is," He turned and pointed with his wand at the wall to her right. A crumpled body wearing a Gryffindor cloak lay a few feet away, resting awkwardly against the cold stone. It was Harry._

_"Wake up, Mister Potter." Voldemort aimed his wand directly at Harry making Hermione cringe inwardly._

_"Enervate."_

_Harry twitched and his eyes snapped open. He blinked a few times then gasped and groaned as he struggled into a proper sitting position._

_"Did you have a nice sleep, Harry?" Voldemort asked mockingly._

_"Fuck you," Harry spat._

_"Now there's no need to be so bad tempered. You have a visitor."_

_Harry looked up slowly, moving carefully as it was incredibly painful. "Hermione?" he moaned._

_Harry's eyes were bloodshot, beginning to bruise and his nose was bleeding. There was a deep gash on his cheek and he had a angry red cut on his lip. Voldemort had been torturing him for a while before Hermione had been dragged into the chamber. Her heart wrenched to see him in so much pain. She began to try and crawl towards him, struggling to move her aching limbs, but before she had gone two feet, Hermione found Voldemort's wand pointed at her._

_"Miss Granger," he began, as if disappointed that she would try to help Harry, "You are not here to assist Harry in an escape attempt. You are here to watch." He then said something inaudible and almost immediately, a solid and completely transparent wall materialised before her._

_"Harry? Harry!" she yelled, hammering at the shield. Voldemort strode over to where Harry sat and wrapped his fingers tightly around Harry's neck. The teenager put up little fight as he was lifted off of the floor. From seemingly nowhere, a silver bladed dagger appeared in Voldemort's right hand, glistening in the faint light as he held it up to show Harry._

_"Do you see this dagger, Harry?" he asked casually, "It truly is a beautiful blade. The edge is coated in a remarkable poison that I created and has some rather _interesting _effects, but you'll find that out for yourself shortly." The boy struggled and squirmed in his vice-like grip, but he was weakening more and more by the second. "What a disappointing end for Hogwarts' champion. You put up a brave fight for one so young," he smirked, "but even Dumbledore died at my hand, and so too will you."_

_ As Voldemort lowered the dagger, Hermione began pounding her fists against the barrier once more. She desperately wanted to look away as the knife was thrust into Harry's flesh, but found she couldn't. "HARRY! Let me out!" she screamed, "Let me out, you bastard! Let me out, LET ME OUT!" Hermione slid to her knees, clawing at the shield and sobbing with anguish. "Harry…"_

_Voldemort released his grip from Harry's throat letting him drop to the floor. He waited._

_*  *  *_

_Harry lay curled up on the cold stone floor in a daze. He knew he was dying, but it wasn't as bad as he'd ever imagined. Ever since he had found out about the murder of his parents, he had always been afraid that one day, he wouldn't win, that one day, Voldemort would finish his work. And now I had happened- he had lost the most important game of all. But if this was death, it wasn't so bad. He couldn't even feel any pain._

_At least until his blood was replaced with liquid fire._

_*  *  *_

_Harry's screams began suddenly, all weakness forgotten as he writhed in agony on the floor. He tried to crawl away from Voldemort, in a vain attempt to escape but the pain of the poison flowing through his veins was so complete that it was all he could do to move his fingers. Voldemort watched all this with avid interest as Harry sobbed._

_"Stop it, please," Hermione begged, with tears streaming down her cheeks and her hands pressed up against the transparent wall, "Don't hurt him anymore." Her eyes were fixed on Harry as she watched him cry out and gasp for breath._

_The light in the room was blocked out momentarily as someone entered the chamber._

_"My lord?"___

_Reluctantly, Voldemort drew his attention away from Harry and looked up at the waiting death eater. "What is it now, Bellatrix?" he snapped, "I'm busy."_

_"I'm sorry, my lord, but the fires are spreading quickly. We have to leave."_

_"Very well," Voldemort sighed. He turned back to Harry and crouched down. "It's a shame really. You would have down well in Slytherin," he said before getting up and turning to leave, "Goodbye for now, Mister Potter."_

_Once he had gone, the barrier trapping Hermione dissolved and she fell forward awkwardly, already trying to scramble across the floor. When she reached Harry, she took his hand in hers and tried to rouse him from his semi-conscious state. His skin was white and like ice to the touch._

_"Harry?" she said tentatively, "Harry, wake up."_

_His blank gaze shifted to look at her, but it was if he wasn't actually seeing her. "Hermione?" he said faintly, "I was looking for you. But you weren't there."_

_"I'm here now, it's ok."_

_Harry smiled slightly, "I know, and I'm glad."_

_Hermione didn't even bother to try and stop the fresh tears in her eyes._

_"Hermione?"___

_"Yes?" she whispered._

_"I can't see anymore. I can't see _you._" He sounded like a frightened child._

_"I'm here, Harry, I'm here," she sobbed._

_But this time he didn't respond. "Harry?" she said, knowing it was pointless. She knew deep inside her soul that it was over, but that didn't make the pain any less. "Harry, oh god, come back!" she screamed._

_Hermione had thought she had no more tears left to cry._

_She was wrong._

AN-

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Ok, I know that was short, but making this chapter any longer would have totally wrecked it. *cries* that was so bloody hard to write, especially when my eyes kept blurring! Mustn't cry,  mustn't cry…

Anyhoo, Chapter 5- will be the morning after for the MIRROR  WORLD's Draco and Hermione with an entrance from the ugliest ginger cat in the world- Crookshanks!, and a return to Hogwarts for Malfoy and the golden trio!


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